Unveiling Time
by QuillsandQuidditch
Summary: "Sirius is being tortured NOW!" In the Department of Mysteries, Hermione Granger lay stone cold on the floor as the Ministry's supply of time-turners smashed around her. Much to her confusion, she awakes to find herself in the Hospital Wing…with a 16-year-old Sirius Black eyeing her curiously. Time-Travel.
1. Chapter 1

In the room where time dances, nothing is still. Clocks are spilt on every surface, each declaring different hours yet marching on in a confused harmony all the same. But there are always those who will disturb the peace, even with the intention of keeping others quiet.

xxx

"HERMIONE, DUCK!" Harry yelled, sending sparks over their heads, towards the party of Death Eaters that were pursuing them. Panting heavily, the pair tore through the eternal maze that was the Department of Mysteries.

Sirius, dead? How could he have been so stupid? The taunts of Bellatrix Lestrange chimed shrilly in his mind. But there wasn't time to dwell on it now, the Death Eaters were seeing to that. Shooting another jinx behind him, Harry heard a grunt of pain and knew that he had hit his target.

With blood pumping in his ears, he grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her through an open door. Hermione muttered a few choice words under her breath and sealed the doorway behind them.

"That won't keep them out for long," Hermione shivered.

"I need to find Bellatrix." Harry snarled. The desperate hunger to make her suffer which grew in his stomach was unbearable. The cruciatus curse seemed only too easy, it would be much more satisfying to rip her limb from li-

"-Harry?" His thoughts were interrupted. Hermione's look of concern was both heart-breaking and infuriating. Tears ran down her face and mingled with the sweat and blood on her cheeks. "Harry, you can't-"

"SIRIUS IS DEAD!" He roared. "I have to…I need to do this!" Harry held her gaze yet the realisation of the truth struck him like a punch to the gut. _Sirius is dead_. He crumpled under the weight of his words.

Hermione eyed him somewhat fearfully. For all the years she had known him, for all the books she had read and for the pain that they'd shared, now the right words failed her. It was all she could do to place a hand on his visibly-shaking shoulder and say "We can't stay here."

Harry took a breath and glanced round at their surroundings. The room was long and dark, illuminated only by a series of dancing, sparkling lights. Clocks lined every surface- large and small, grandfather and carriage, pocket and pendulum. They hung in the spaces between the book cases, were draped from empty portrait frames and propped on the desks which ranged the full length of the room. A relentless ticking filled the air like thousands of miniscule, marching footsteps. The sound to bring one to the brink of insanity.

Harry eyed what looked like a collection of pocket watches dangling from a shelf above their heads. They looked strangely familiar.

"Hermione, are those-?"

"HARRY!" Hermione screamed, pushing him to the floor as a jet of green sparks narrowly passed over their heads. The jinx ricocheted off the walls and collided with the time pieces, sending shards of glass raining down upon them. The clocks ticked angrily, almost menacingly at the intrusion.

Harry jumped to his feet and faced his hooded attacker. "Protego!" Harry shouted, as the figure advanced on him, sending more curses in his wake. "Stupify! Expelliarmus! PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!" Finally, Harry's spell hit its target and the figure buckled. The hood fell back to reveal McNair's frozen face. Harry looked at him with disgust.

"Hermione?" Harry asked the room quietly, to no avail. The room was eerily silent. It took Harry a moment to realise that the clocks had stopped ticking. He crawled over to where she'd been standing. There the Ministry's supply of time-turners lay smashed and cracked, their delicate insides spewed across the floor. One thing was certain.

Hermione was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione was falling. Her eyes were tightly bound shut and she couldn't open them however hard she tried. She couldn't breathe, it was as if she was being choked. And then came the screams. They grew louder and louder until they were almost unbearable. Hermione begged them to stop. Her heart was pounding and she seemed to be gaining speed. _What was happening?_ She had to escape this place. Harry and the others were in danger, they needed her. _Sirius_! Her mind rejected the very thought, the pain was too great. Then came the moment of impact.

xxx

Harry stared at the ground in disbelief. Where Hermione had been standing just moments earlier, there was a pile of seemingly smashed time-turners. He watched, entranced, as each instrument rose in the air in turn and mended itself, before falling and shattering once more. As the cruel cycle continued, Harry couldn't help but feel that the Department of Mysteries was mocking him.

xxx

Hermione bolted upright, panting and covered in sweat. She shielded her face from the cold light that stung her eyes. Every inch of her body was trembling. She forced herself to take deep breaths and gradually felt her heartbeat returning to normal. Slowly forcing her eyes open, she glanced reluctantly at her surroundings and she saw to her disbelief that she was in the hospital wing at Hogwarts. But how on earth-

'Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes?'

She jumped at the sound of the unexpected voice and instinctively reached for her wand. _It wasn't there._ She panicked. Where were her robes? She was wearing a hospital gown.

'Whoa there, take it easy!' The voice laughed.

Hermione quickly turned her head to see who had spoken and winced at the effort. Everything hurt. A figure was sitting cross-legged on the next bed and was eyeing her with great curiosity. His long, wavy hair and mischievous smile were unmistakable. _It couldn't be_. A wave of relief rushed over her. Hermione had never been so glad to see Sirius Black's face.

'You're alive!' She gasped.

'Yes, so it would seem!' He grinned, whilst pretending to check his own pulse.

'Oh thank goodness!' Hermione gasped, she felt tears prickling in her eyes.

'Well, I'm flattered you care so much about my wellbeing,' Sirius mused as Hermione's eyes grew wide. 'Most touching. Miss-?'

'Does Harry know you're here?' Hermione asked, as she tried to prop herself up on her elbows. Her body ached in protest.

'Who?' Sirius looked at her blankly, but Hermione's brain was whirring so fast she hardly heard him.

'But- but I don't understand. How did we get here? We were at the ministry and, and I saw you. You were there, fighting and then, then you fell through the…' She faltered and her bottom lip trembled. Her mind couldn't process what was happening. It was an unfamiliar sensation. 'Am I dreaming?'

Sirius sighed and ran a hand through his long, wavy hair. 'Well, I am dream-like but luckily for you love, you're wide awake.' He flashed her a grin. 'By the way, have we met? What house are you in?'

'Wha-?' Hermione looked at him properly for the first time. He looked like the Sirius she knew, but with deliberate mistakes. His hair was thicker, his face fuller and there was a warmth in his grey eyes that she'd never seen before. They were bright, intelligent and danced with mischief. She realised they were missing that hard, haunted look that Azkaban forced upon its prisoners.

Hermione couldn't take her eyes off his face. It was, well, _handsome_. Perfectly symmetrical, besides an angry cut that shone on his forehead. His skin was fair and clear, in perfect contrast to his dark hair which fell loosely at his shoulders. Sirius cleared his throat. Hermione realised she'd been staring at him for some time and, to her surprise, her cheeks flushed as she broke his gaze. 'I don't understand. What happened?'

'Sounds like someone's got a concussion. That or you're speechless in my presence,' he teased, apparently enjoying himself. 'To be fair, you were completely out of it when Poppy brought you in last night. I arrived just before you did, see I'd got into a pretty heated disagreement with the Whomping Willow.' He gestured to the deep cut on his forehead. 'Knocked me out cold. Prongs bet me a galleon that I couldn't touch the tree's trunk without getting hit. But I'll get him back, don't you worry!'

He winked playfully, and ran a hand through his mane of hair. Hermione stared at him blankly and Sirius sighed. Clearly his usual charm wasn't having the desired effect.

'I'm Sirius, by the way. And you would be-?'

'I-I-' Hermione stuttered. The whole thing seemed so surreal. She was spared answering by the arrival of the matron.

'Ah Poppy, you're looking exceptionally lovely this fine morning!' Sirius cried. 'Tell me, is that a new apron?'

'You know fine well it isn't, Mr Black. You're in here often enough!' Madam Pomfrey pretended to scold him, but couldn't help but smile. 'And that cheek of yours will get you into trouble one day!'

'So they tell me.'

She placed a pale pink potion on his bed side table.

'You wouldn't have any firewhiskey to wash this down with, would you?' Sirius asked.

But Madam Pomfrey's attention had turned to Hermione. 'Oh goodness, you're awake!' She picked up Hermione's wrist and started examining her.

Hermione began an examination of her own. She observed that Madam Pomfrey was also different. Her now auburn hair was peppered with greys, and her cheeks were plumper and rosier. There were fewer laughter lines around her eyes and mouth. She looked younger. _Everyone here looked younger._

And then it hit her. Her last memory of Department of Mysteries came flooding back. Hiding from Death Eaters in the Time Room, pushing Harry out of the path of MacNair's curse, the spell ricocheting and hitting-

 _The Time-Turners._

Hermione buckled under the weight of her realisation. She gagged and gestured wildly at Madam Pomfrey, who understood and passed her a sick bucket. Hermione vomited loudly.

'On second thoughts, forget that firewhiskey, Poppy.' Sirius called. 'I've just had a flashback to what happened the last time. Are you ok, love?' He asked Hermione, who nodded meekly in response.

'Poor dear, you've had a terrible time of it by the looks of things.' Madam Pomfrey fussed. 'Now, Professor Dumbledore requested to see you as soon as you came round. If you ask me, you should be left to rest but the Headmaster _did_ insist.' She pursed her lips. 'But I suppose under the circumstances…' Her voice trailed off, as she headed for her office. 'He'll be here any moment I expect.'

Dumbledore wanted to see her. That had to be a good thing, Hermione reasoned. If anyone could help her escape this extraordinary turn of events, it was him.

No sooner had she thought that, than Albus Dumbledore himself entered the Hospital Wing. He called out a greeting to Madam Pomfrey, before turning to her two patients. There was something comforting about his presence. Hermione noted that his appearance was almost unchanged, with only the length of his hair and beard indicating the passage of time.

'Good morning.' Dumbledore smiled at Hermione and Sirius. He seemed completely at ease, as though there was nothing peculiar about the situation whatsoever.

'Good morning, Professor,' said Sirius, who was looking bemused. 'Very nice of you to visit, sir.'

'It is always a pleasure to see you, Mr Black,' Dumbledore smiled and his blue eyes twinkled. 'Though I must confess, and you must forgive my rudeness, that I have come here to seek a private audience with Miss Granger.'

Dumbledore bowed his head to Hermione.

' _Granger._ ' Sirius repeated, thoughtfully. Hermione frowned slightly. _How did Dumbledore her know her name?_

Madam Pomfrey had reappeared. 'Come with me, Mr Black. A walk around the grounds will do us both good.' She helped him off the bed and handed him a dressing gown and a pair of slippers.

'Ah Poppy, I've come down really dizzy all of a sudden. You'd better go without me.'

'Nonsense, Mr Black. You were just telling me how much better you were feeling'. Madam Pomfrey took Sirius under the arm and steered him towards door.

'What? Can't a dying student eavesdrop in peace anymore? Shocking business!' Sirius said, playfully. 'See you around, Granger!'

They left, with Madam Pomfrey firmly insisting to Sirius that he wasn't dying and was in fact forbidden to do so whilst under her watch.

Dumbledore's piercing blue eyes surveyed Hermione through his half-moon glasses.

'Well,' he spoke at last, 'It seems to me, Miss Granger, that you and I have some catching up to do. Your arrival is, ah, _untimely_ , to say the least.'

 **Thank you very much for your kind reviews, I hope you enjoyed the second chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

_Dumbledore's piercing blue eyes surveyed Hermione through his half-moon glasses._

 _'Well,' he spoke at last, 'It seems to me, Miss Granger, that you and I have some catching up to do. Your arrival is, ah,_ _untimely_ _, to say the least.'_

xxx

'These are troubled times, Miss Granger.' Dumbledore said gravely, staring at Hermione and giving her the feeling that she was being x-rayed.

'Sir?'

Dumbledore reached into the pocket of his purple, velvet cloak and retrieved a copy of the Daily Prophet. He placed it on the bedside table and Hermione craned her neck to scan the front page. The dominating headline was a plea for information on Elsie Tannerth, an advisor to the Minister for Magic, who had disappeared in mysterious circumstances- the fifth high-ranking ministry employee to go missing this year. A smaller article underneath warned that reports of violent muggle-baiting were at an all-time high.

Dumbledore looked troubled. 'In light of this, I sought to protect this castle with every defence possible.' He sighed. 'I thought it almost impenetrable. Which is why, I was especially surprised by your unexpected arrival.' He said, with a weak smile.

Hermione hardly heard him. She was still staring fixedly on the newspaper. '1976.' She whispered, pointing at the date. 'Professor, we're really in 1976?'

Dumbledore bowed his head. Hermione felt her heart plummet and a wave of fresh panic washed over her. In truth, she had deduced as much but Dumbledore's confirmation extinguished the last scrap of hope she'd been clinging to. She closed her eyes and silently prayed to wake up from this strange and unsettling dream. Anxiety threatened to overwhelm her. Hermione wrapped her arms around herself and inhaled deeply.

'You've had a quite a shock, Miss Granger.' Dumbledore was looking at her sympathetically. 'Here, take your Calming Draught. It will help to soothe your nerves.' He gestured to the small vial on her bedside. Hermione hadn't noticed it before. She reached for the potion with a trembling hand. She quickly downed the clear liquid and felt her heart rate slowly returning to normal.

'Professor, what happened to me?'

'Of course, you will have many questions. I am only too happy to assist you in any way I can. Before that, however, I must ask you to indulge me. Anything that I tell you now may taint your recollection of recent events. Therefore Miss Granger, I must first ask for your account and then I shall repay the favour.' His voice hardened slightly. 'Tell me, who are you and how was it you came to be here?'

Hermione hardly knew where to begin, but she felt a strange compulsion to tell Dumbledore everything. Before she had fully formed her thoughts, she heard her answer spill out.

'My name is Hermione Jean Granger, I'm a fifth year student at Hogwarts. I was born in 1979.' She faltered slightly but felt compelled to continue. 'Professor in my time, in 1996 that is, You-Kn-, Voldemort has risen to power for the second time.'

She glanced at Dumbledore to read his reaction but his expression gave nothing away.

'In my last memory, I was at the Ministry of Magic with my friends and members of the Order. We'd been lured there under false pretences by Voldemort and were ambushed by his Death Eaters. I was hiding from them in the time room in the Department of Mysteries and then, then a curse hit some time-turners. I was standing underneath them, they fell and…and then I woke up here. At Hogwarts. Twenty years in the past.'

Hermione looked up at Dumbledore expectantly, but he gave no answer. He placed a finger to his temple, closed his eyes as if in great thought. Hermione wondered if she should say any more, but something told her to wait. After some time, he sighed and finally met Hermione's anxious gaze.

'My dear girl, I am so sorry that you have gone through such an ordeal, and at such a young age too.' His eyes were sad and missing their familiar twinkle. 'You were found unconscious in the castle grounds last night, and your injuries suggested that you had fallen from a height. Your story inevitably provokes far more questions than it answers.' He paused and seemed to deliberate something. Despite his serene appearance, Hermione sensed an internal struggle ongoing. 'However, I do not wish to interrogate you any further at present. To do so at this early stage may do more harm than good.'

Hermione was rather surprised by this but was grateful to be spared further questioning. She was physically and emotionally exhausted. Her limbs had never felt so heavy and her brain certainly wasn't operating at full capacity.

'Professor, you once warned me about the dangers of medalling with time…'

'Did I really? And what did I say?'

'You warned me that changing the smallest detail of the past can have catastrophic consequences for the future. How witches and wizards have killed past or present versions of themselves without realising. How a simple act can throw the future off course irreparably…' Her voice trailed off.

'Well I am very rarely wrong.' Dumbledore's knowing smile resurfaced. 'And I am afraid this is not one of those occasions. In this perhaps unique case, you have travelled back further than your previous timeline could have allowed. Namely, you find yourself in a time where you have not yet been born.'

Hermione's mind was racing. She felt almost delirious.

Dumbledore continued. 'I share you concern about your changing the course of the future. Your very being here may have already had an immeasurable impact on the events which lie ahead. However, the situation cannot be changed and so we must endeavour to put measures in place to ensure time remains on the correct path.'

'And there's no way for me to go back?' Hermione heard herself ask.

'It would seem not.' Dumbledore replied, a grave expression etched across his aged face. 'For your own safety, I must ask you to remain at Hogwarts as a student under the protection of the castle. It is imperative that you tell no one of your past. If that information fell into the wrong hands, it could put you in serious danger. I will put it to the staff that you have transferred her from another institution.'

'But professor, it's not that simple. I know people who are here, now, in my own time. Students, teachers, I know what becomes of them.' Her mind went to Lily and James. It seemed incredible that they were here in the castle- living, breathing people. To think that they would share a classroom with people who would become Death Eaters was too much to bear. And Sirius…the thought of losing him again was unimaginable.

'I have information that could help you. That could prevent terrible things from happening.'

'Miss Granger, there will come a time where I will ask you for your help, guidance and assistance. But for now, I must ask you keep us in blissful ignorance. Not only for your own sake, but for the sake of those you are so eager to protect. Do I make myself clear?"

Hermione knew she had to trust him. With a heavy heart, she agreed.

'Professor, can I ask you something?' Dumbledore bowed his head. 'When you arrived today, you addressed me as Miss Granger. How did you know who I was?'

'You must forgive the intrusion, but I'm afraid that was merely the name sewn into the jumper you were wearing when you arrived.'

Hermione nodded meekly. She had hoped beyond hope, that by some great magic he had known her by sight.

'I will make the arrangements for you to be moved to Gryffindor Tower tomorrow morning. From there on in, you will attend lessons with your peers and continue your magical education. I do recognise, of course, that this will be difficult for you. It will take great strength of character and courage but I do believe you have that, Miss Granger. And know, should you ever need to unburden your mind, my door is always open. You should also know that, at present, I am particularly partial to Fizzing Whizbees.'

Dumbledore he chuckled to himself slightly and got up to leave. But still something didn't feel quite right.

'Professor, why do you trust me? You know nothing about me.' Hermione couldn't help but ask. 'In these troubled times, I'm a stranger who fell out of the sky with nothing but the clothes on her back and a highly unbelievable story. I could be anybody.'

'I have no doubt that you're telling the truth.' Dumbledore seemed slightly taken aback for the first time. 'I'm afraid that I am the one who has not been entirely honest, Miss Granger. But I hope you will come to forgive me and realise that I acted only in the interest of student safety. That potion you took wasn't a Calming Draught, it was Veritaserum.'

xxx

'Oi! Prongs! Oi! Moony! Wormtail!'

Sirius made his way over to his friends. The three of them were lazing beneath their favourite tree by the lake, soaking up the last of the afternoon sun.

'Alright, mate?' James asked, as Sirius ruffled his already messy hair. 'I thought I heard your dulcet tones calling.'

'Shouldn't you be in the hospital wing?' Peter squeaked.

'Relax, Wormtail. Poppy let me out on my own for a few hours, as long as I promised to be a good boy and go back after dinner.' He flopped down next to them and winced. His body was still rather sore after the previous night's mishap.

'How's the head?' Remus asked, looking up from his book. 'It looked like the Whomping Willow packed quite the punch.'

'Yeah you flew, like, twelve feet in the air!'

'It wasn't twelve feet, Prongs.' Remus reasoned.

'S'alright now. Mind, I had a banging headache earlier.' Sirius rubbed his forehead gingerly. 'It felt like I'd spent the night downing firewhiskey at a Celestina Warbeck concert!' Sirius grinned as James roared with laughter. 'Plus now I've got this pretty cool scar on my forehead. The girls'll love it, it'll make me look dangerous and mysterious...'

'Like a prat, more like.' James said, still laughing.

'I bet Evans likes it, though.' Sirius teased, knowing he would hit his target.

'Oi, shut up!'

'Temper, temper, Prongs. What would Evans say?'

They tussled half-heartedly as Peter egged them on.

'I see the Whomping Willow didn't knock any sense into you then. Pity…' Remus mused with a wry smile, picking up his book once more.

'Prongs quick, Evans is coming!' Peter whispered loudly.

'What?' James immediately broke apart from Sirius and stood up straight. He hurriedly brushed the dried mud off his jumper and leaned against the tree in a would-be casual manner.

But Lily was nowhere to be seen.

'Haha, got you!' Peter grinned.

'Nice one Wormtail! That wasn't bad, for you!' Sirius laughed, slapping him on the back. Peter looked delighted.

'S'not funny.' James pretended to sulk, but couldn't help breaking into a reluctant smile.

Sirius grinned. He lay back on the grass and closed his eyes. What a mad day it had been. That reminded him…

'Hey, do you guys know anyone called Granger?'

xxx

Hermione awoke the next morning to blinding sunlight. She reluctantly opened her eyes and pulled herself up into a sitting position. To her relief, she found that much of the pain in her neck and back had subsided overnight. Madam Pomfrey hummed a tuneless song as she scrubbed the bedpans at the other end of the ward.

Hermione looked across to Sirius' bed expectantly, but found to her disappointment that it was empty. He must have been discharged whilst she was asleep.

Something on her bedside table caught her eye. It was a small package wrapped in brown paper. She unwrapped it somewhat cautiously and out spilled a selection of Honeydukes' finest chocolate.

There was a note.

 _Granger, you'll be pleased to hear I'm still alive and well (I remember how deeply concerned you were earlier, how touching!) Since I'm depriving you of my charming company today, I thought the least I could do was give you something sweet to remember me by. Save a piece for me! Sirius_

Hermione smiled. She'd heard rumours that Sirius was a ladies' man back in the day. She reread the note and resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

Still whilst she was here…

She helped herself to a piece of chocolate. It was delicious.

 **Thank you for your lovely comments, the reviews from Chapter 2 absolutely made my day. Until next time...**


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